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Sri Lankan president vows to strengthen provincial governments to share power with Tamil minority

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s president said Wednesday he will strengthen provincial governments to meet long-standing demands for self-rule from the ethnic Tamil minority, an issue that led to a bloody quarter-century civil war in the island nation.The provincial councils were introduced in Sri Lanka in 1987 after neighboring India intervened to resolve the ethnic conflict. But the system has not been fully functional because Tamil separatist rebels rejected the deal and successive governments usurped powers given to the provinces.President Ranil Wickremesinghe in a speech to Parliament said he will take steps to prevent confusion, overlap and intervention from the central government in provinces exercising their powers.But he said provinces would not be allowed to exercise police powers immediately since opposition by the majority ethnic Sinhalese could derail the process.Tamil lawmakers have demanded a federal system short of separation and say the provincial system is fa...

Missed the Mega Millions jackpot? How your ticket may still be a winner

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Yet another record lottery prize has been won — this time, a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot. If your ticket wasn't the winner, don't throw it away. It may still have won you some money. Though every player is vying for the grand prize, there are nine ways to win a prize in Mega Millions. You have a one in 24 chance of winning any prize, according to game officials.The lowest possible prize is $2. To hit this, you need to match just the gold Mega Ball. Your odds at this are one in 37. If you opted into the Megaplier feature (which is only available in some states), you can increase your payout to as much as $10. If you match the Mega Ball and one of the five white balls drawn, you'd double your prize to $4. With the Megaplier, this payout could reach $20. Matching two white balls and the Mega Ball, or three white balls, your base prize would be $10. The Megaplier could increase that to $50. These are the best, worst states to win the lottery in Matching three whit...

Someone in Florida wins $1.58 billion jackpot, third largest prize in US history

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - Someone in Florida won a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday night, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery.The winning numbers drawn were: 13 19 20 32 33 and the yellow ball: 14. Missed the Mega Millions jackpot? How your ticket may still be a winner Seven tickets around the country matched the five white balls to win the game’s second-tier prize. Two, sold in Florida and North Carolina, are worth $2 million because they included the optional Megaplier (available in most states with an extra $1 purchase), which was 2X on Tuesday night. The other five tickets won the standard second-tier prize of $1million; they were sold in California, Pennsylvania, Texas (two) and West Virginia.Across the country, 166 tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the third-tier prize. Twenty-eight of those tickets are worth $20,...

Orioles All-Star Félix Bautista allows slam, blows 3-run lead in 9th in 7-6 loss to Astros: ‘He’s not going to be perfect’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

One swing of Kyle Tucker’s bat turned what would have been one of the Orioles’ best wins of the season into one of their worst losses.Félix Bautista entered his office Tuesday evening with a three-run lead — an advantage almost insurmountable against a pitcher having the type of season Baltimore’s closer is. But the 6-foot-8 right-hander allowed three of the first four Houston Astros batters to reach, bringing up Tucker with the bases loaded. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, the two-time All-Star turned on a center-cut 100.4 mph fastball and deposited it into the right field bleachers.The grand slam was enough for Astros closer Ryan Pressly, who slammed the door in the ninth, as Houston won, 7-6, and ended Baltimore’s four-game winning streak. Pressly retired Jordan Westburg, Adam Frazier and Ryan O’Hearn in order to end the game.“Honestly, I just think it wasn’t my day,” Bautista said through team interpreter Brandon Quino...

Nearly 3.7 million first residence permits issued in 2022

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

In 2022, almost 3.7 million first residence permits were issued in the EU to non-EU citizens, a 26% increase (+753 445 permits) compared with 2021. The total value is the highest registered since 2009, topping even the pre-pandemic level observed in 2019 (3.0 million). This information comes from data on first residence permits published by Eurostat. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on first residence permits issued during the year. Please note that this data does not include persons granted temporary protection in EU countries due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Such data are subject to a separate data collection on grants of temporary protection status. For more detailed information please refer to the Eurostat database.Employment remains the main reason “Employment reasons” accounted for 42% of all first residence permits issued in 2022, at around 1.6 million permits, indicating an 18% increase compared with 2021...

Horoscopes Aug. 9, 2023: Gillian Anderson, positive change begins with common sense

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Adelaide Kane, 33; Anna Kendrick, 38; Gillian Anderson, 55; Hoda Kotb, 59.Happy Birthday: Take time, sort through information and consider every angle before considering a move this year. A steady pace forward, paying attention to detail and taking a minimalist approach to living and doing things your way will result in less stress and a chance to make healthy decisions. Stand by your word, and don’t make unrealistic promises. Positive change begins with common sense. Your numbers are 7, 18, 21, 28, 33, 35, 42.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Avoid over-the-top behavior. Refrain from signing up for something you cannot afford or doing something that risks injury. Protect against people trying to coerce you into something you don’t need or want. Focus on self-improvement and personal happiness. 4 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Act, but don’t jeopardize your reputation or position. Offer only what you can deliver, and be prepared to give a pla...

Ask Amy: Since I heard what my son’s girlfriend said, I don’t even want to be around her

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

Dear Amy: My 26-year-old son has been dating a girl for more than two years. We all get along really well.My husband and I recently moved two hours away and have stayed at their apartment approximately five times over the past eight months.We stay only one night and usually take them out to dinner or have other fun activities with them while visiting.One time, we were there to see other friends, but staying with them was still handy because they keep an eye on our dogs.My son doesn’t mind at all, as he has told us.I recently found out his girlfriend does mind and has told him that we abuse their hospitality and that she doesn’t feel comfortable in her own home when we’re there (although she has no problem accepting free meals/drinks from us).My son recently tried to break up with her (before this situation arose), but she talked him out of it.I’m so distraught and hurt. I no longer feel comfortable staying there. Nor do I feel comfortable having her stay at our hom...

11 missing in France after fire in holiday home for people with disabilities, authorities say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French authorities say 11 people are missing after a fire broke out early on Wednesday in a holiday home for people with disabilities in eastern France while 17 others have been evacuated.Interior minister Gerald Darmanin tweeted that “early this morning, a fire broke out in a facility for disabled people” in the small town of Wintzenheim, close to the border with Germany. “Despite the rapid and courageous intervention of the fire department … several casualties are reported,” he said. Rescue operations were still ongoing.The local administration of the Haut-Rhin region said the fire broke out at 6:30 a.m. in private accommodation in Wintzenheim. Seventeen people were evacuated, including one person sent to a hospital in a “relative emergency.”Christophe Marot, the secretary general of the local administration, said on news broadcaster France Info the group includes adults with “slight intellectual disabilities.” He said that 10 disabled people a...

Ball-playing keepers and hybrid defender-midfielders the latest trends in the Premier League

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

Goalkeepers are getting so good with the ball at their feet that they could almost be outfield players.Take Ederson Moraes at Manchester City, for example: He can ping a pass 60 meters right onto the head of Erling Haaland or into the stride of Jack Grealish. Pep Guardiola has even said Ederson is the best penalty-taker at City.The Premier League will be full of ball-playing goalkeepers this season, with the arrival of Andre Onana at Manchester United and Guglielmo Vicario at Tottenham adding to the list of keepers who are now expected to be the starter of attacks as much as the last line of defense.Expect more length-of-the-field team goals but maybe more defensive mistakes, too, with the majority of teams likely to be playing the ball out from the back in an effort to keep possession, beat the press and make full use of the pitch to attack in space.Onana has emerged as a master of that — and it’s why United has spent 51 million euros ($57 million) on a keeper who could be a ...

Un vecino le disparó a una niña de 9 años frente a su padre después de comprar helado y andar en su scooter, dice documento legal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:24 GMT

(CNN) — Una niña de 9 años recibió un disparo mortal frente a su casa en Chicago por parte de su vecino, quien supuestamente le disparó antes de que su padre corriera hacia el atacante y lo tirara al suelo, según un documento legal que CNN obtuvo este martes.Michael Goodman, de 43 años, está acusado de asesinato premeditado por el asesinato de la niña, que montaba su scooter para comprar helado en un camión de helados cercano antes del tiroteo de este sábado por la noche, según el documento.Antes del tiroteo, el padre de la niña estaba hablando con amigos que estaban en un vehículo frente a su residencia mientras su hija, identificada como “V”, andaba en su scooter, según el documento, conocido como oferta de fianza.El padre escuchó un disparo en los alrededores y le dijo a su hija que llevara su scooter de vuelta al apartamento.“¿Qué hice mal?”: un niño de 11 años recibe un disparo de un policía“Cuando V se acercó a la puerta principal de su edificio de apartament...